Trump’s Love Affair With Himself

“Our long national nightmare is now over,” said President Ford at the conclusion of Watergate. It’s the same thing many of us are saying after President Obama finally released his original birth certificate. Now, can we move on and tackle some of the important issues?

I do have some final thoughts about the whole debacle.

First of all, I don’t think many of us actually believed the president wasn’t born here. It would have taken a grand conspiracy of biblical proportion to conceal such a remarkable event. The level of expertise, communication and coordination would have required laser-like precision from a state government that can’t pave a road correctly. No, it wasn’t a true belief that President Obama wasn’t born in Hawaii. It was the unnecessary fanning of cynical flames with the intractable position that the original document would not be released. That cynicism was heightened when such vociferous defenses were dispatched at every legal turn. If a suit was filed, a Pro-Bama team was dispatched. It could have been a hearing in Little Jimmy’s Court and Car Wash and the suits would show up. Very Shakespearian.

However, his treatment of this document should not have been a surprise. There has been secrecy surrounding other aspects of his background such as his school records from Punahou to Occidental to Columbia and Harvard. OK, do you have to release any of these records? No, there is nothing legally compelling one to release these or other documents.

But there is a de facto political expectation that one does provide this information. It was ultimately the president’s procrastination and reticence that encouraged many to question the possibility that he may not be properly documented.

The bottom line? This story is pau. Done. Finito. “Move along folks, nothing to see here.”

But there is some unfinished business.

Donald Trump, potential presidential candidate. Hair Force One. He reminds me of the guy you try to avoid talking to when you accidentally answer your cell phone. It’s not that you despise the man, but spending time with him is like being asked if you prefer root canal or having salt poured into a paper cut.

The Trump persona is defined by his statement after the president announced he released his BC. Trump couldn’t wait to congratulate ... himself!?

How can someone so enamored with himself serve other people? Anything and everything he would say or do would be cultivated as long as it was primarily in his best interest. Once you cut through the populist bravado, it’s clear the Donald doesn’t have a coherent plan for leading America; instead, it’s a clear-cut plan to ultimately promote the Donald’s product.